Page 366 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

He is.

He’s ready.

The memories can come home.

Julian Sael Penhalyx and Kade of Iron Star will bleed together like droplets of water, river to the sea.

He takes the hand and lets it raise him up.

The sky is a lazy riot of candyfloss pink and midsummer lavender-lilac and cool, sleepy indigo, whispering songs to the shy stars, bidding them come out to play, and the water is deep and the world is vast.

Julian looks around.

‘I’m ready now,’ he says.

The moon emerges.

The sky darkens.

The stars shine.

And the moon says, in silvery ripples that dance on the surface of the water he loves, ‘Then we will have to be brave, won’t we?’

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

‘Kade.’

A kiss touches the corner of his mouth.

‘Mmm.’

‘Baby, wake up.’

Kade smiles before he opens his eyes.

The sky is warming up to wake the world. Dewy sunlight threads through the branches in thin gold ribbons, catching on the wet leaves and turning every suspended droplet into a tiny star.

Lachlan is leaning over him.

Still here.

The relief is so immediate and enormous that Kade laughs, all sleepy and soft, burrowing into his skin like he could get under if he was determined enough.

‘Morning,’ Lachlan murmurs.

Kade puts one hand on his face just to feel him. ‘Did you sleep?’

‘I didn’t want to.’

‘Did you watch me sleep?’

‘Yes.’

Kade draws him down and kisses him. ‘Weirdo.’

It’s actually hard to kiss properly amid the sudden rush of happiness he can’t contain, smiling so hard their mouths don’t fit together.

Lachlan laughs into the failure of it.